Sleeper Watch

How many times has Thomas Jones tantalized fantasy owners with flashes of talent? How many times have we been disappointed, seen his playing time dwindle, and sent him packing for the waiver wire?

Well, here we go again. Jones has now replaced Michael Pittman as Tampa Bay’s starting RB, and should receive the majority of the carries between now and the end of the season.

Given the chance to start against New Orleans last weekend, Jones performed well, finishing with 89 yards on the ground and a solid 4.5 yards per carry. He didn’t find the endzone, but he did catch two passes for fourteen yards, pushing him over the 100 yard mark for the game.

While Jones might not turn into a fantasy savior, his value clearly rises significantly with his increased workload, just in time for the fantasy playoffs. His matchups for the next two weeks certainly look promising. Tampa Bay now faces Houston and Atlanta at home; both teams are ranked in among the bottom five in the league in run defense. If you need to fill a hole in your backfield, Jones is worth a look.